Planning a new build (as soon as my house sells!)... for the purposes of this thread, I'm going to buy a 4x4 Ex with the V10. I looked into the 6.0 but even with all of the "how to bulletproof a 6.0" threads I read, I just don't think I could ever be comfortable with one. Just seems like playing Russian roulette with three in the wheel...

In any case, prices on the Ex's around here look to leave me something like $3-8K for upgrades, fixes, and general "stuff." Assuming nothing blows up, what would you look to address first?

The truck will be used for hunting/fishing, camping (towing), and long-distance trips to hockey and softball tournaments. So, it needs to be reliable and comfortable.

My laundry list:

• Exhaust studs - possibly upgrade to headers?
• Differential covers and possible trans pan?
• Transmission cooling
• Steering box - does Redhead(?) still make a better box?
• Small lift + wheels / tires
• Brake disks / calipers
• Stereo

Any other weak points you would address right out of the gate? Long term, I'll be looking at paint, redoing the interior, and maybe a new ('08+) front end but I want to address the guts first.

Many thanks!

 

I would add a tuner to your mod list with a set of good custom tunes from 5Star Tuning, a site sponsor who knows these V-10s very well.

 

I guess I should clarify - since I'll be doing a lot of highway driving, I'm not looking at 4-6 inches of lift. More along the lines of putting actual springs on the truck (as opposed to the noodles Ford specified) which I think should give me a couple inches on both ends. I haven't done too much reading on what will fit in terms of tires but I'm thinking something a size or two up from stock should fit.

Plus it will need to fit into a parking garage on occasion.

Thanks for the input!

 

I agree with the above for the most part.

I would add- do the 6.0 trans cooler, no reason not to. My 7.3 always had trans temps around 170-180 with the stock cooler, which was not "hot" at all. 6.0 cooler keeps things around 130-140, fluid lasts longer, works better, and helps with trans wear. For the small price it costs- may aswell.

 

Welcome! Where are you at? Fill in your profile and we can even help with the search! That's a pretty decent wish list. I would consider finding one with 4:30 gearing. The 3:73 gears work OK, but the lower gears really wake up the V10 trucks and reportedly don't sacrifice much in the way of fuel mileage. They actually are reported by some to get better in town mileage as the engine has an easier time moving the big Ex off the line. I am saving up for gears now.

 

True, the 6.0 cooler (especially the Dorman one from Rockauto) is cheap enough but also remember that the V-10 factory cooler is nearly 50% larger than the trans cooler on the 7.3s. Like I said, I've towed 11k lots of miles and have never seen it hit 210 in any circumstance with the stock 6.8 cooler...........but I am going to swap in a 6.0 one eventually.

 

What are rigs running up there? Is rust a big issue?

 

Just remember that the more common 3.73 gears on most V-10 EXs are just barely "adequate" for towing any heavy trailers on anything but dead flat terrain. Adding ANY extra tire height decreases that effective ratio even lower, finding a factory optioned 4.30 geared Ex that will be towing is a great bonus, especially with bigger tires.
Mine with 4"+ of lift and 35" tires still fits in parking garages (if the lower level is extra height )

 

Prices are all over the place: Detroit CL - Excursions

Apparently the 2005s are made of solid platinum because all these guys thing they are worth twice what any other year brings (psst - they are all the same other than the headlights...) One guy with a 2005 6.0, 140K on the clock that wants $20K (apparently the drugs are good), another with a V10 and 208K wants $16K (really, really good!). Oddly enough, I see these same trucks listed over, and over, and over again.

I'm figuring that a realistic out the door price for a solid 2002-2004 will be in the $6-9K range, probably 120-150K on the clock. Rust is the big issue - I don't have the time, money, or expertise to deal with rust and in Michigan it is a constant threat. I do have a brother that lives in Atlanta and may extend my search down there. The little shopping I've done tends to turn up trucks that are both high-priced and 2WD. I have zero interest in anything other than 4WD for my purposes. I'd much rather travel and/or deal with mechanical stuff than deal with rust.

 

I would ABSOLUTELY have my GA brother (or one of our brothers here! ) do some shopping for me down South. I got very lucky with my EX as it was a Corps of Engineers rig from AL that was bought at auction by a dealer up here in PA, so I got the rust free wagon I wanted (XLT with cloth interior and no bells and whistles) without having to shop long distance or travel. (I did drive the 1500 mile round trip to get my 45k like new '94 Geo Metro daily driver from GA, the best $650 rollerskate e v e r ! ).

 

Yeah, I'm really leaning toward looking for a southern truck. I owned a 2000 Ex for about a year a while back, and it was a Michigan rust bucket underneath. Made everything a huge pain in the *** - frozen rear calipers, the ball was rusted into the receiver in the hitch, etc etc. Do not want to deal with that crap again.

I'm the type that would rather drive an older vehicle that is paid off and built/modded the way I want rather than have a payment. That is kind of my goal with this next truck - plus I'm almost in a position where it will not be my only vehicle, so taking it apart to try X or Y is heck of a lot less stressful than if it is your only ride!

 

Ah, I forget that v10s came with a larger cooler, my old v10 had a small 7.3 style cooler in it. Maybe added in later, couldn't say, I just base my experience on the small one mine came with.

 

I recall reading that the early V10's had the small cooler as well. I cant find anything to back that up, but I have looked at a 2000 V10 before that had the tiny 7.3 size cooler. With my factory cooler, I run 135-140 avg temps in Texas summer when just driving. I haven't been able to get it over 170 while towing heavy in summer either. I may do a 6.0 cooler someday as well, but with these temps, it isn't a huge priority.

For the OP. The prices on clean, low mileage, rust free, 4x4 excursions are not at all in line with what the books say they should be. Most 3/4 ton vehicles have had a rough life towing things or just being used for at least 12 years for the newest Excursion.

Just for fun I looked up some numbers for comparison to the other popular SUV's In 2005.

Ford sold 16,283 Excursions, 114,137 Expeditions and Chevrolet sold 140,663 Suburbans and Yukon XL's....That spread is similar throughout production years. So there are way less used Excursions to choose from than other SUV's. Granted this is apples to oranges but there were 21,513 1963 Split Window Corvettes sold new and we know how hard those are to find.

Not trying to discourage you at all. There is a decently priced, clean, rust free 4x4 Excursion out there for you somewhere in this country, Just have to do some research, scouring and be ready when you spot a good one. You are on the right track with this Forum already!

 

I'm sure I'll find the right truck - if worse comes to worst, I'll go with option 2 and pick up an '05+ CC Superduty. I had a 2005 F-250 CC 4x4 with the 3V 6.8 and loved everything about it - except the trips to the gas station Sold that truck after I sold my 29' boat as it was hard to justify the truck when I bought it specifically to tow the boat (which it did well)...

 

Do you care what gears you have or are you swapping in whatever you want?